Step into the enchanting world of "Threadneedle" by Cari Thomas, where darkness and light dance in an intricate tapestry of magic and mystery.

From the very first page, I found myself entranced by the richly woven narrative that unfolds within the streets of London, revealing a hidden city pulsing with magic and secrets.

Thomas's storytelling is nothing short of spellbinding, drawing readers into a world where the mundane and the magical collide with breathtaking beauty. Through the eyes of Effie and Attis, we embark on a journey of awakening and transformation, navigating the delicate balance between light and darkness.

What struck me most were the nuanced relationships and evolving friendships that emerge throughout the story. As Effie navigates the complexities of her newfound abilities and the bonds of the coven, I couldn't help but be drawn into the intricate web of alliances and betrayals that shape her world.

The magical practices depicted in the novel feel authentic and immersive, adding a layer of depth and realism to the story. From the elemental powers to the rituals of the coven, each detail is brought to life with vivid clarity, casting a spell that lingers long after the final page.

But what truly sets "Threadneedle" apart is its exploration of the duality of human nature and the eternal struggle between good and evil. As Effie delves deeper into the mysteries surrounding her past, she is forced to confront her own inner demons and wrestle with the darkness that lurks within.

Reading this alongside Bea Holland's masterful narration only heightened the enchantment, bringing each character to life in vivid detail and infusing the story with an extra layer of depth and emotion.

Cari Thomas has crafted a mesmerizing debut that seamlessly blends fantasy and reality, darkness and light. With its captivating characters, richly imagined world, and gripping storyline, this novel is a must-read for anyone who craves an escape into the realms of magic and mystery.

I really wanted to read this based on the premise and the cover is stunning. Sadly I found it rather dull and laborious. I did feel the characters were well developed but it just all fell very flat. I did want to DNF but stayed with it and glad I did as at least when it got towards the end the action started and the book did reach a conclusion. Didn’t enjoy it enough to read the next book, however once again the cover looks stunning.

This was a fun and enjoyable read that wasn't quite what I was expecting. The story focuses on 4 young girls creating a coven while dealing with the rumours and bullying of high school and the pressures of family strife. It had a YA feel to it that I wasn't anticipating and it took me a minute to re-adjust my expectations. However, I thought that the relationships between the girls were well drawn and that the plot was interesting. The world is definitely one I would re-visit and the writing was easily accessible. All in all, I enjoyed this one and will pick up the next book in the series.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.

4.5/5 stars
CAWPILE-score: 8.86 / 10

This book was a good surprise :) I requested it on NetGalley, because I loved the cover, but I didn't have any expectations. The truth is that I haven't read a good urban fantasy in a while... But when I started to read this, it just got me...

Characters : 9 /10

I loved the cast. Sometimes I felt that they were too YA-ish, but overall I liked them. 

Atmosphere: 10 / 10

I was obsessed with the witchy urban fantasy vibe; it was so nostalgic for me. 

Writing: 9 / 10

I loved it, but it wasn't anything special.

Plot: 8 / 10

Overall, I liked it. There were some twists which I thought were too much, but I definitely enjoyed the book.

Intrigue: 9 / 10

It wasn't boring, but sometimes I just felt that it was too long.

Logic: 9 / 10

I felt that everything was well explained and I didn't find any major plot holes either.

Enjoyment: 8 / 10

It was a 4.5 star. I enjoyed it, but it wasn't a 5 star.

I thoroughly enjoyed this audiobook. The plot is spellbinding. I love the intricate detail of the world that Cari Thomas has created. The characters of cruel, austere Aunt and in contrast to the flamboyant,radiant Celene (I am totally picturing Helen Bonham Carter as I listen). I love the camaraderie of Anna joining her covern, discovering the magical world in her own terms and discovering secrets along the way. At times it felt a little too long but I understand that is necessary for world building in the first of a fantasy series. There is plenty of intrigue at the end that will have me reaching for the second book.

Thank you so much to Netgalley, Cari Thomas and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to listen to this book. I'll update my review when I am finished.

There were ideas I enjoyed in this story - the concept of magic being done through the formation of knots, or other methods unique to the caster. It was just too slow to get going to the meat of the story - I got bored with description after description of the school "Mean Girls" bullying their classmates. Anna's constant self-doubt and insistence that she is a nobody got stale too. It felt very much like a YA novel that has little to offer an older reader, although in fairness I only got about a third of the way through it before giving up.

Really enjoyed this! Wasn't sure at all what to expect to start with, but I was impressed. The magic system is interesting and different. All of the main characters were fun, I especially loved Rowan. There was a lot of mystery throughout the story, and I never quite saw where it was going which was good! The ending did a good job of tying some loose ends up, but also leaving some mysteries remaining for the following books. I also feel like this worked well as an audiobook and the narrator was great. Would recommend, and will definitely be keeping an eye out for the next in the series!

I loved, loved, loved this book! This might just be the magical world I’ve been waiting for since Harry Potter!

Set in contemporary London, Anna is a witch but she has never been allowed to practise magic. Instead, she is told that magic, and emotions, are the enemy and encouraged to keep them both buried deep. Things begin to change for Anna when she meets Effie and Attis, she quickly gets drawn into the world of magic and begins to question everything she thought was true.

This is a long book and If I’m honest I think it could lose a few pages but that does mean there’s plenty of room for world building and exploring the magic system. Anna goes to a regular school where the majority have no idea about magic, she faces very familiar challenges, bullies, boys and friendships. Magic slowly becomes a more central element as Anna learns more about it. The magic system is interesting, it draws on lots of traditional magical lore but it also feels quite fresh and unique. This book doesn’t get consumed by the element of magic though, never losing the very human and more relatable sides of the story.

Listening to the audiobook the narrator does a brilliant job of keeping you engaged and distinguishing characters. It was a very enjoyable experience.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for a copy of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

With Thanks to Harper Voyager and Cari Thomas for an advanced reader copy of this book.

5*

Thank all the gods that this is the first in a series because I need soooooo much more from this world, and these characters.

Our MC Anna grows up in London with her aunt Vivienne follow on from her parents death. Anne is no ordinary girl and is set to grew to become a Binder just like the rest of her family, binding her magic to her so she is unable to access it, keeping both her and the world safe from its destruction. But as she grows she begins to question why this must be the only way.

A truly magical and immersive read, Thomas has built a unique and interesting world within this book that I can not wait to jump right back into.

Forbidden magic nicely weaved into a coming of age story that is well constructed and believable. Anna grows up in London under the guidance of her aunt Vivienne, after her parents died when she was a young girl. As magic is handed down through family lines, Anna is destined to become a Binder like her aunt. Binders fear magic and the destruction it can cause, which means they bind their magic and are unable to use it. Growing up with their influence Anna who shows very little magical ability, fears the use of magic.

But Anna is a young woman and coming of age means she is beginning to question the life she leads and the future she is destined for. The characters are authentic, the storyline flows well and the magic systems are credible. If you enjoy coming of age stories, witchcraft, magic, intrigue and drama then this will be an engaging read.

This is the first instalment in The Language of Magic series.

Magic exists. Magic exists and it is dangerous. Magic exists and it is never to be spoken of, to be bound tight, to be stifled with the soul, to be extinguished. This is what Anna has been taught. Her whole life has been spent in preparation for the time when she will forever bind close the doors to the magic that she has access to. She fears the potential that is inside of her. But maybe, buried deep, a part of her longs for it too.

I don't usually bond so well with magical stories set in our own world, preferring my fantasy to be crafted in a setting of the author's own design. I, early on, had a few issues and thought this one would not appeal either. The focus on magic was intriguing but protagonist, Anna's, ruminations on her school days were of far less interest. I soon became enamoured with her story, however, and eager to see her become the fierce and magical being who transformed her banal existence into something bewitching.

Anna was quiet, fearful, obedient, and a conformist. She was not the typical heroine I like to read about but something about her sweet nature appealed to me and I enjoyed witnessing her inner-growth, over the course of this novel. She flourished alongside her magical understanding, ensuring that knowledge was continually imparted, scenes of action concurrently occurred, and the stakes were ever heightened. I had no idea of the trajectory her story was to take, but was hooked on finding out all the way to its dramatic close.

This was a magical book, it slowly drew me in. It kept me wondering the whole way through and never really guessing right! A beautiful read audiobook.

If you like magic then you will love this book, i listened to audio version and took me a while to get into the story and plot but once it got going it was fine. if a bit long (18hrs). The main character has an inner turmoil about her natural ability to see and create magic, however has been told to keep under wraps as its not acceptable to her family. Then she meets her tribe and gains confidence to shine and explore feelings, friendships and her world. A well thought out plot and interesting characters to really get to know. the story line was very descriptive and conjured up emotions of happy, sad, injustice and thrill seeking. If you love fantasy then this is for you, Thank you #NetGalley for the audiobook to review.

I listened to the audiobook of this title.
I loved this. The story drew me in straight away. It is pretty overwhelming to start an audiobook and see it has a duration time of 20 hours! But it honestly didn't feel like that, and through the whole book I only felt my attention wane once in the middle.
The narrator was excelllent, and really captured the beautiful writing.
Oh, but the characters! I loved them all, but Effie was fantastic. SO funny, she made me laugh out loud frequently! And Attis, he was a great and complex character.
This was a fantastic start to a series which I look forward to already.

With such an interesting title and a gorgeous cover, Threadneedle sets great expectations in the mind. To some extent, it delivers on the promise.

The book comes to us from the point of view of sixteen year old orphan Anna who stays with her disciplinarian aunt. This aunt has always warned Anna about the dangers of magic and plans to bind Anna's magical abilities. But soon some new people enter Anna's life and she begins to question the validity of everything her aunt has ingrained in her mind.

Where the story clicked with me:
- The story is set in contemporary London, so it was nice to see the factual places interwoven with the magical realm.
- The fantastical world created by the story is superb. The stitching, the potions, the plants, the coven… every idea was creatively constructed. Using threads and knots for magic was an innovative experience to read.
- Some details of the school life, especially with respect to bullying and peer pressure, are very well written.
- A few of the characters, especially Anna, Rowan, Effie and Attis, were very well-written. They are complicated and gray, thereby enhancing the reading experience. I wish more characters had been in this category but they were mostly predictable.
- There's a magical library in the book and man! I want to go there! It was so amazing!
- The author's vocabulary is fabulous. It was a pleasure to read such language.
- For a debut work, the scope of the story is marvellous.

Where the story didn't work for me:
- The plot seemed to move ahead quite slowly and haphazardly. While the ending does redeem the book, the overall story left me feeling like something was missing.
- There were too many subplots that seem to exist mainly reveal the personalities of the main characters. At least a few of these could have been chucked out. They don't take the plot ahead but just increase the number of pages. The only possible reason I can think for having these ideas in the story is that the author was trying to establish a clear setting for the continuity of the series. But they hampered the plot progress.
- A lot of the plot is predictable and clichéd. To hear a really long audiobook when you already know what’s going to happen is a dampener.
- I wasn’t expecting a YA Fantasy, just a regular Fantasy. But the book is distinctly YA in its writing. I do enjoy YA books but I think this book was a bit "too YA" for my enjoyment with its straightforward writing and simplistic twists. I have no doubt whatsoever that it will work better with the correct target audience. The ratings from the other readers are proof of this.

This story is the first in the series but the ending is quite conclusive, though not complete. Most of the major plot points are resolved, so those who avoid cliff-hangers can still attempt the book. The ending sets a very firm foundation for the next book in the series.

At 20 hrs 25 minutes long, this audiobook is not a cakewalk for the ears. But narrator Bea Holland is stupendous. I doubt I would have enjoyed this book with any average narrator. She nuances her words perfectly and gives the right voice for the characters. Her performance deserves 5 stars.

For a debut novel, the book is still pretty decent. Cari Thomas shows promise and I’m sure the rest of the series will take the story ahead well.

Thank you, NetGalley and HarperCollins UK Audio, for the audio ARC of the book in exchange for an honest review.

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an audio arc of this book, all opinions expressed here are my own.

Threadneedle by Cari Thomas is the first in The Language of Magic series and the author’s debut novel. I for one was enthralled by this book and cannot wait for the sequel.

Anna is a witch with no magic. An orphan who lives with her aunt and will be bound to the Binders for life.

Effie is a witch who loves magic. She lives with her mother and draws others into a Coven at school.

Attis is ..... ??

At 20hrs+ this is a long audiobook but the narrator has done an excellent job of keeping the book and the characters interesting. An enjoyable listen.

While this is YA due to the age it will appeal to the masses. Artfully written with engaging characters and an enthralling storyline, this book is a highly recommended four star read.

I’d like to thank NetGalley and Harper Collins UK for approving me for and ARC of this book.

Once again I was blown away by the narration. Bea Holland told this story beautifully and captured my attention from the start. She gave the characters unique voices and captured their personalities excellently.

I have to applaud Cari Thomas for the magical world she created. It has been a very long time since I read anything that was remotely witchy and this was filled with magic, spells and covens galore. Cari’s world was well thought out, meticulously planned and stitched together perfectly. Yes there was a lot of information and initially I felt that I needed a guide to refer to but I soon found myself captivated.

I loved the coven that Anna found herself in. All four girls were completely different but when they worked together I thought they complimented each other nicely. Whilst Effie was the least likeable of them all part of me felt her attitude and ideas were a way of lashing out at Selene. I loved Rowan and her constant need to fill the silences. She was the sweetest member who didn’t deserve the bullying she faced at the hands of the Juicers, her family were fantastic too. Attis was another character entirely. He was cheeky, obnoxious and very vain but you couldn’t help but like him. He had a way of charming everyone and when he showed his softer side I honestly felt that was the real him.

Anna’s backstory and treatment by her Aunt were deeply sad and very disturbing. I enjoyed Anna’s journey as she started to rebel against her chosen destiny of becoming a binder. This was one way that Effie had a good effect on her. Effie brought Anna out of her shell and helped her to become more fearless and be seen. I connected mostly with Anna through her love of playing the piano, as a pianist myself I could fully appreciate the joy she felt when playing. I could also understand the nerves she had about performing!

Once the witchy world and all its history has been set a full on adventure of discovery takes place. We learn what happened to Anna’s parents, why Anna’s magic is acting strangely and what it truly means to join the binders! With a climatic ending that leaves no cliff hangers but readers wanting more this is one not to be missed!

I loved this book of Anna’s personal journey of self discovery. Although she knows she is a witch, living with her controlling Aunt, Anna believes her magic is dormant until she meets her Effie and Attis , and joins a coven with other witches from her school. Her powers develop and she discovers the truth of her family’s history, a curse and the danger of dark magic. This brilliantly told story ends with a cliffhanger and the promise of further dark magic to be revealed.

I also listened to the audiobook

Thanks to #NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ahead of publication in exchange for an honest review, as well as granting me access to the audiobook.

You ever have those books that you’re determined to wait for the release to read? Yeah, that’s what this one was supposed to be. I’ll probably still wind up buying a physical copy. But I was lucky to have the opportunity to listen to this audiobook before release. Thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for that.

This is supposed to be an adult book, but it follows a teenager and feels very YA in places. Anna is in her first year of sixth form. Her first year of being in school with boys. Her Aunt has always warned her of the dangers of love and of magic. And as an old friend of her Mother moves into town. She may have to learn to deal with both.

I knew this was going to be a good book. It was the whole reason why I was willing to wait for its release. That and its gorgeous cover. But it’s a thick book, and with my focus recently… Audio seemed to be the way to go. I haven’t listened to many fantasy or sci-fi audiobooks by British authors. So listening to it, it almost felt like I was listening to chick-lit. Which added to the adult vibes. But I think that might just have been what I’m used to. This book can certainly get dark in places though. Some of the descriptions due to magic are grim, and it’s certainly not been written for a younger audience. But it does follow a teenage girl and all the drama that follows when you wind up with a teenage coven. So this is a great book if you love both adult and YA. But you probably won’t enjoy it if you’re looking for a very adult book.

I felt for Anna. I really did. Her home situation was terrible, school sucked for her, and she really did need more good in her life. But I didn’t really like Effie or Attis. Attis a bit more so, but everything there felt overly complicated. I really liked Rowan, and Manda was okay. But Rowan was definitely the friend that Anna needed. I’d love to see more interactions between them in future books.

The romance wasn’t anything I was too keen on. The two crushes were kind of obvious, and I just feel like Anna needs more friendships before she even thinks about romance. She’s not really had anyone in her life before this, and she’s still young. There’s plenty of time for her to find love and not just because of the in-text reasons why she shouldn’t yet.

I did really appreciate the world-building. The way Cari Thomas has weaved magic into our world. The different types of magic. The plants and potions. I really loved it. I want to see more of their magical London. I want to explore it myself. I also want to know more about the history. We get a glimpse into one of the legends, and I do love the addition of fairytales. Especially since the East O’ Sun, West O’ Moon is one of my favourites since childhood. The history and the use of fairytales strangely may the book feel more rooted in our world. And I liked that as then the magic somehow felt more magical.

This was a book I really enjoyed, and it’s definitely one you’ll be able to lose yourself in.

Audio review first: Really enjoyed the chosen narrator's performance. Bea Holland was engaging and brought nuance and high characterisation to the narrative.





Main Review: Initially, I found the style a little off putting. Yes it was clear and the prose was plain and perfect, rather than heavy or flowery. However, it read a little like it was intended for the very young end of the YA market and tbh I have not been enjoying YA fantasy of late. Three chapters in, this didn't matter. I was fully invested in the twists and turns of the story and the careful world building. I will say that sense of who the book was aimed for versus who it actually served didn't ever entirely go away, and was occasionally jarring. But compared to what the book delivered, it was a minor consideration.



Threadneedle is set in our world. This is London as we know it now. The one difference is that there are witches, this is real magic. Most people no longer believe in such things and witches do not advertise their presence to the cowans (non magical folk), but there are groves across the UK who practice magic. Our introduction into this magical world is not a pleasant one. Anna has always known she was different. Wrong in fact. Her parents are dead under tragic circumstances and she lives with her strict, authoritarian aunt who teaches her that magic and love are sins that will destroy you. Her intention is to raise Anna to become a binder - a witch whose magic is bound so that she cannot use it. There's a lot of the fundamentalist religious zealot in Aunt and not a little Mother Gothel vibes.



As events unfold, Anna finds herself drawn to Effie, a girl her own age who is also a witch but has experienced magic in a far more free and enjoyable way than Anna. When Effie starts to attend Anna's school, Anna begins to rebel against Aunt for the first time in her life. That's really all the plot you need going in. If you're a regular fantasy reader, there won't be much here that you haven't seen before but you're unlikely to have seen it in quite this way. Shades of the Craft (the original not the recent bloodless travesty), of Grimm fairytales and even dabs of contemporary YA and a hint of the kind of magic you find in midgrade fiction are all mixed here. At times dark, Threadneedle is a book about power and who can be trusted with it. Does power corrupt or does it merely attract the venal?



This feeds into the female friendship aspect. The friendships here are great but they're never flawless, which is to be expected from 16 yr old protagonists - or anyone for that matter! There are a group of 'mean girls' who get their comeuppance, but even that is a look at power. I imagine some people will read shallowly and cry 'girl on girl' hate - and yes there is some but can we please stop pretending it doesn't exist and need addressing in real life? Being a teenager is about experimenting with power and that includes power in your interpersonal life. It also interrogates ideas about familial abuse, bullying, ostracism and neglect. And it explores these ideas well.



The heart of Threadneedle is a magical adventure story about learning to claim your own power and use it well. It's intelligent, engaging and addictive. Highly recommend.